Angie's List: Carpet clean-up stain removing secrets

Have you ever tried to clean coffee out of your carpet? How about wine… or even blood? It’s no easy task. Is it possible to get it out it yourself or do you need a pro? And what about all those home remedies – do they really work? We find out in today’s Angie’s List report.

Different spots may require different cleaning methods, but regardless of the substance, there’s no time to waste.

Angie’s List Founder, Angie Hicks says, “If you discover a stain on your carpet, you want to act quickly, but don’t be too hasty. You want to make sure you’re using the right tools. Use a dry, clean cloth and blot – don’t rub – the stain, otherwise, it might lead to a lasting stain.”

Blood can be one of the trickiest things to get out.

Mike Swinson says, “If the blood has coagulated and started to clump, you’ll want to take a spoon or a very dull-type instrument – a butter knife, something of that nature – and remove it first, and then start to blot it out with a soap-and-water solution.”

Use cold water for blood stains, but Swinson recommends a cup of warm water mixed with a quarter-cup of dishwashing liquid for just about everything else. There’s also another trick when dealing with a spilled glass of red wine.

“Red wine can be one of the toughest stains, but it can be solved. So what you need to do is first, blot the spot where the red wine has been spilled, and then, if you actually sprinkle some white wine on top of the red wine, you’ll improve your chances of getting that spot out”, said Hicks.

For deep stains that seep through to the padding, especially pet urine, blotting and cleaning will only do so much.

Swinson says,“Obviously, you won’t be able to get all of it that way. The best way to do it is to use an extractor of some sort. A little, small hand extractor can save you hundreds and hundreds of dollars in carpet cleaning.”

You can find a small, portable spot lifter for under 100 dollars. A more powerful extractor could run several hundred depending on the suction power and recovery tank capacity. Still, Angie recommends leaving it to the pros when it comes to ink, bleach or Kool-aid. Those all make the “tough stain” list and you can damage your carpet if you aren’t careful. Also, try any home remedies in an inconspicuous spot before attempting to clean something in a highly visible area.